Even minor exertion can aggravate the pain and increase fatigue.
Statistics show that fibromyalgia is one of the most common
musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder in America, affecting up to
10% of the population. FM occurs most frequently in women ages 20-50.
Sufferers of fibromyalgia usually try the most common medical treatments
- pain killers, muscle relaxants, antidepressant drugs, sleeping pills,
corticosteroid injections and, in extreme cases, surgery.
Unfortunately, the Physicians Desk Reference reveals that drugs used to
treat fibromyalgia can have potentially dangerous side effects.

Upper Cervical Care & Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia & The Brain Stem

The brain stem, which can be compared to a telephone cable with
thousands of individual wires or nerve fibers sending signals between
the brain and the body, controls nearly all-vital bodily functions.
Misalignments in the upper cervical spine (neck) can affect the function
of the brain stem, which can be a critical factor in the development of
fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.Trauma or compression of the
upper neck can cause the same symptoms seen in fibromyalgia or CFS
patients. These symptoms may appear immediately after the injury or
several years later.

Fibromyalgia & Neck Injuries

Although the exact cause of fibromyalgia is not fully understood,
numerous studies and clinical trials show that FM often develops after
traumatic neck injuries. Nearly 70% of the fibromyalgia patients at
Upper Cervical Health Centers of America could relate the start of their
fibromyalgia symptoms to a specific injury to their neck. Car
accidents, sports or on-the-job injuries, repetitive stress, falls, or
even birth trauma can cause these injuries. Renowned neurosurgeon Dr.
Michael Rosner, states that when the neck is hyper extended backward,
the spinal canal narrows, impacting the spine and brain stem. This can
occur in cases of whiplash in automobile accidents, extended dental work
in which the head is bent back, or severe bouts of coughing. Even
activities like painting a ceiling can cause injury to the neck that may
lead to fibromyalgia.